The Society of Tocqueville Fellows is a select group of Furman undergraduates interested in cultivating the philosophic perspective on politics exemplified by Alexis de Tocqueville. Tocqueville, a 19th-century Frenchman, was one of the first to witness the momentous new force of modern democracy, and his observations on the far-reaching changes that democracy would bring are still hailed as prophetic today. Tocqueville’s perspective was informed by a thorough understanding of the political alternatives articulated by the philosophic tradition, and characterized by the conviction that a wise appreciation of the goods of an irrevocable past can guide our attempts to navigate an unprecedented future.
“I undertook to see, not differently, but further than the parties; and while they are occupied with the next day, I wanted to ponder the future.” –Alexis de Tocqueville
The 2023-2024 Tocqueville Fellows
AJ Carr
Alex Hibbs
Alice Arnold
Austin Lombardi
Catherine Davis
Chris Lightcap
Emerson Alden
Erin Freidenfeld
Evan Hucke
Jason Li
Karissa Horn
Katy Beasley
Kevin Williams
Li Ward
Mary Christine Helms
Michael Peeler
Rachel Shamblin
Sim Colson
Sophie Michael
Vivian Claire
William Jepson
William Stark